The Number Three
by Firelily10
Summary: Three people would board the same train, at the same time. They would all be taking the same journey, going to the same destination. Draco finds an unexpected friend in Luna, the one person who does not judge him. Their friendship flourishes into something more. And then there's Ivy, who's a bit different, with dark secrets. Three friends. Will they survive secrets and betrayal?
1. Three People

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, locations, and/or events that might be mentioned in this story. No copyright intended. **

**Please review!**

**Chapter 1: Three People**

Three people would board the same train, at the same time. They would all be taking the same journey, going to the same destination. If you had looked at these three people, not knowing what the future would bring, you would've thought that they were the strangest, most bizarre trio you'd ever laid eyes on. These three people were so different from each other that it would be almost humorous to see them together. And yet, despite their differences, they were all more alike than one would think. Their destinies intertwined by fate. This they did not know, not yet.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As Draco stepped onto the train, he felt his stomach twist painfully. It did that when he got nervous. He was trying desperately hard to calm his nerves, but every effort he put into that had failed. He felt the Hogwarts Express leaving the station. He never imagined that he'd be going back after everything that had happened. He hadn't seen the point in returning to school after the war. Of course, he was grateful that he wasn't in Azkaban like his father, though he felt like he still deserved to join his father in that lonely, desolate prison. It had been because of his mother's actions, the actions that had involved sparing Harry Potter's life during the Battle of Hogwarts, that he and his mother had been spared of the horrible sentence that his father had received. But still, even if he wasn't in Azkaban, the sentence of having to return to school to face his fellow students was bad enough.

He knew what they thought of him, he knew of their loathing feelings towards him. Some might even fear him. Even as he walked down the aisle to find the very specific compartment, he could feel many pairs of eyes staring at him as he passed, eyes that glared with intense animosity. He knew what the others saw when they looked at him…a monstrous cruel creature. Was this true of him? Draco himself sometimes believed it, but not always.

Draco felt immense shame shoot through his body as he passed several Ravenclaw students in his year. He didn't dare look at them. Even though he'd never officially been on their side, the _good_ side, he still felt as if he'd betrayed them. He still felt like a traitor who had betrayed his family. A few years ago he would've thought that he didn't give a care about the majority of the people in that school, and yet a few months ago when he'd seen a good number of them being killed before his very eyes, he felt a feeling of loss cut deeply into his heart. He'd seen students that he didn't even know by name but recognized by look getting slaughtered. He's seen people he'd once talked down to fighting for their lives. And what had he been doing? Working for the enemy that was trying to kill them. Guilt…regret…memories he only wished to cast away but couldn't.

Draco knew that the judging had already begun. And whatever sentence or label that the others around him gave to him, he probably deserved it. So he'd made a plan. He had no idea if it would work or not. Hopefully, it would.

Draco stopped walking. He'd found the compartment he was looking for. Inside was only one person, the one person in the entire school who he thought might not judge him, or at least he hoped wouldn't. He opened the sliding glass door and sat down, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Before he could speak, the blond witch looked at him and smiled. "Hello Draco" she said airily. She was smiling. He'd been right. Luna Lovegood, the last person he wanted to be with, was now the person he had come to seeking…well, he didn't know exactly what he was seeking. Peace of mind? A friend? Someone who wouldn't judge him?

Before he could reply to her, someone else entered the compartment. It was a girl, she looked to be about his age. He'd never seen her before. Perhaps she was new, a transfer from another school. He soon realized that he'd never seen a girl like her before, and he wasn't sure if that was to be said in a positive way. She had raven black hair and dark, penetrating eyes. The eyes stared hungrily at him. Her lips were blood red, skin ghostly white, and her expression was a mixture of anger, lust, and sadness. He stared into her eyes again then looked away. When he'd looked into them, he'd felt cold, as if he'd been touched by something dead and dry.

She was careful to sit down far away from him and Luna. "The other compartments are full" she said. There was a bitterness in her raspy voice. It gave Draco shivers, as if he'd heard those words escape the lips of the dead. Yet still, there was something about her that was almost familiar. It wasn't that he knew her or anything…but it was the expression on her face now as she stared out the window. It was the very same expression he wore on his face every day, one of guilt and sadness. Maybe he wasn't the only lost lonely face amongst the sea of innocent students.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Luna Lovegood watched Draco come in. He looked slightly better than when she'd last seen him, but he wasn't quite back to his old self. His usual confident stride was gone, as was the usual smirk. Luna didn't mind. Of course, she was surprised that he'd chosen to sit with her but she never objected to the company of a fellow student. There was always an interesting conversation to be had with everyone, even if that person wasn't exactly the friendly type. None the less, Luna wasn't one to judge the misunderstood. "Hello Draco" Luna said cheerfully.

At that moment, a strange girl opened the compartment door and sat down, staring out the window. Luna's eyes brightened. A new face was a new chance to make a new friend. That's what her mother had always told her. Luna smiled brightly at the girl, who was seemed to be trying very hard to ignore her. That was alright. Some things needed time. Luna was already determined to meet this stranger as much as she was determined to keep her shoes from being stolen this year. "Would you like some purple raspberries?" Luna offered the stranger and Draco, pulling a bag containing the purple fruit.

Draco smiled weakly and took some politely. This was a strange thing for Draco to do, but Luna was pleased that he'd changed somewhat. Change was always a new and exciting thing! Luna offered the bag to the strange girl. "Sorry, I can't eat that" the girl said quietly, almost sadly. Luna shrugged and put the bag away.

"Oh that's alright. Most people are allergic to purple fruits anyway. I should've brought sky blue pears instead" Luna said. She saw Draco smile, and for once there were no traces of sarcasm or arrogance in his smile. "It's nice to know that you find what I have to say interesting Draco. That's quite kind of you" Luna remarked.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Ivy walked down the aisle feeling empty….dead. She was dead. She pulled her black jacket higher up, to cover the two small, circular scars on her neck. Ivy clearly remembered getting those scars. She remembered watching the people known as the Deatheaters kill her family. Ivy had somehow escaped, but more dead than alive. She'd fully expected to die out there in that forest. At that point, she'd actually wanted to die, to join her family rather than be left alone in the empty world. And yet she'd been saved, well physically anyway. One bite was all it had taken. Yes, physically it had saved her life but emotionally it had killed her. Now she was separated from her family by this cursed life…the life of a monster.

It wasn't just survivor's guilt that made her bitter, it was her sentence to this demon-like form. Her life was like a backwards trial to her. The sentence had already been carried out, and soon would come the judging. She knew once her fellow students found out what she was that they would be quick to judge her. Not that she blamed them. If she had any reflection she would've hated it.

There you had it. She was sentenced to be separated by her family by this half dead life, sentenced to be stuck in a form that forced her to crave blood. She could easily hear every person's heartbeat ringing in her ears. She was conscience of the blood rushing through their veins. It was as if she was a starving man with food all around him yet unable to take it. It was torturous.

Yes, she'd tried many times to kill herself. She'd stood in the sunlight, tried to sprinkle holy water on her, and yet those had only wounded her. She'd tried hard to force a steak through her no longer beating heart but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wasn't strong enough. And now she hated herself, hated her life. What was the point in going to this school anyway? Being a witch didn't matter to her anymore, and yet the Ministry had forced her to do this. She knew the only reason they'd done so was because there wouldn't be any orphanage, muggle or wizard, that would take her because of what she was. At least if she was a school she'd be separated from the rest of society and have a temporary home.

Society did look down on people like her. Vampires were even considered to be lower than werewolves. And so of course the Ministry of Magic wanted to her to go the school. They wouldn't want trash like her dirtying up their precious wizard streets. To them, she was like dirt stained onto a new white robe.

Ivy sighed, deciding that all the other compartment were full. She'd been hoping for an empty one, away from the temptation of other people, of food, but this seemed to be the only one available. Inside were two blondes, a witch and wizard. She entered the compartment. Immediately, he eyes darted to the blond wizard. She stared hungrily at him. She hadn't fed in a while. She could hear his heart beating with blood, delicious warm liquid.

Looking away from him, she sat next to the window and stared out at the scenery passing by. The witch girl spoke to her and Ivy answered absentmindedly, not really listening. She was surprised that the witch was talking to her with such calmness and normality, as if she wasn't a freak, like she was an equal. Maybe the witch hadn't realized what Ivy was yet.

Ivy knew that soon, the real judging would begin. And so would the inner torment. Ivy didn't expect to make any friends whatsoever, not that year, not ever. But she didn't know that she was sitting in the very compartment with the two people that would become her closest friends.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table and Draco at the Slytherin one. Ivy sat across from Draco but was not looking at him. She wasn't looking at anyone. If she did, she knew the hunger would be too powerful to control. Draco was looking at Luna. She and him, much to the rest of the school's surprised, had been enjoying each other's company for the past two weeks. He'd been surprised that he'd found her wonderful in ways beyond imagining. And best of all, she didn't seem to care about who he had been, what he'd done. She acted as if she was unaware of the mark hiding beneath his left sleeve. Luna at this moment happened to be looking at Ivy. Curiosity had been tugging at her sleeve and Luna planned to consult with her new found friend, Draco, about this strange new girl. Luna noticed several strange things about Ivy. First of all, Ivy tended to never make contact with anyone, and if she did, she got this strange hungry look in her eyes. Ivy always stayed inside, usually in the shadows. And Ivy hated being around people. It was almost as if Ivy hated life in general. But Luna planned to change that. Her mother had always told Luna that she tended to bring the best out of people. Could this perhaps be true with Ivy?

Draco finished his breakfast and met Luna outside the Great Hall. Their first class of the day, Charms, was together. They walked together towards the Charms classroom, talking about small, unimportant things. Draco liked talking with Luna. They never talked about rumors or the latest gossip, and they certainly never talked about the past much. Draco liked that. If made him forget about the people around him, who were always staring with their hateful eyes.

"…of course, it's always better to use your wand instead of your foot" Luna concluded. Draco nodded. "Draco I was wondering if I could ask you about something."

"Sure, anything" he replied coolly.

"It's about Ivy. She rode on the train with us. I want to be her friend" Luna said plainly. Draco looked at her like she was insane. She sounded like she could just go up to someone and they would automatically be friends. But making friends wasn't that simple. And besides, why would she want to be friends with that weird girl anyway? There was something creepy about her, a bit…foreboding.

"Okay…can I ask why you want to be friends with her?" Draco asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Oh I don't know. You see, she doesn't seem to have any friends. And she seems a bit down. Maybe we could cheer her up. And besides, it'd be nice if there were three of us. I've always like the number three. Although, two is also nice. Oh and seven, I love seven" Luna said, getting a bit off subject.

"Okay fine, I get it. But what makes you think she'll want to be friends? I mean, have you seen her? She never likes to be around anyone. Seems a bit antisocial to me. I don't think she'll be jumping with joy exactly if you asked her to be a companion. And besides, she could be a mud…I mean, no never mind." Draco didn't like to think that way anymore. The word he had once thrown out so casually made him shutter with guilt every time he tried to say it nowadays.

"Draco it only seems fair that we give her a chance. What would've happened to you if I hadn't taken a chance with you?" Luna asked, turning to look at him. Her words, surprisingly, hurt him. That was because she was right. What would've happened to him if Luna had rejected his attempts to befriend her? Like during the first two days of school, when he tried to sit next to her in class and offered to help her with homework? He would've been alone, an outcast…that's what would've happened to him. He'd be friendless…like Ivy. She was right. It would be hypocritical for him not to give this girl a chance. Let Luna go and make friends with her. Three didn't seem like such a bad number…although he much preferred two.

"Oh alright, you're right. I guess we should make some sort of attempt to- Luna where are you going?"

Luna had left him and was skipping ahead to catch up with that ghost of a girl called Ivy. He was too far away to hear what Luna was saying to Ivy. He only hoped that Ivy wouldn't throw a punch at Luna. Ivy's intimidating, frightening appearance made him think that she'd be the kind of person who'd do that. In fact, he didn't know why, but he could imagine her sinking her teeth into Luna. It was a horrible thought and he tried not to think of it.

Luna returned to Draco's side shortly after, looking pleased. "Well?" he asked.

"Ivy will be joining us during free period later today" Luna said brightly. Draco found himself shocked that Ivy had agreed to that kind of thing. But then again, he didn't know her, he couldn't tell what she would do or wouldn't do.

"Well…that's brilliant" Draco said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Only he wasn't too excited about it. Actually, he was kind of dreading it. He remembered looking into Ivy's eyes back on the train, feeling coldness all around him. The only thing he could think of to keep him warm from those penetrating eyes was Luna's sunny smile, which he knew would always remain on her radiant face.


	2. Keeping the Truth

**Chapter 2: Keeping the Truth**

"Lucius Malfoy." The name had come from Ivy's lips. It made Draco want to scream. He didn't dare look at Ivy in the eyes.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

_One Week Previous_

Draco was in the library, a place he hardly went at all. He was only there because he was helping Luna find a book for Potions assignment. He wasn't entirely focused though, on searching the shelves for _The Fine Art and Skills of the Potion Brewer._ His mind was busy thinking of an event that had happened earlier that day. He'd met Ivy.

Draco and Luna had met up with her during their free period. They'd all gone over to an empty classroom to hang out. At first, his impressions on Ivy were very negative. Everything about her look was awful, scaring him a bit even if he dared not admit it to himself. She seemed a bit reluctant to be there actually. And then Luna had started talking to her in the way only Luna could. Luna spoke to everybody the same way, with kindness. This seemed to please Ivy very much. Ivy had even asked why Luna spoke to her so nicely. Luna had responded by saying she spoke to everyone that way.

For a while, it was only Luna and Ivy speaking. They seemed to get along fine, and Draco found that Ivy was not as dark as he had perceived. In fact, she seemed normal. He imagined there had been a time that she'd been much happier. She had spoken of wonderful past times, of her experiences. The way she described them, it seemed to Draco that she'd been a different person then, much happier. He could tell that something had changed. Whenever Ivy would finish talking about something she'd done in the past, she'd sigh wearily, as if to say_ those times are over. _

Draco later joined the conversation when Quiditch came into the topic. He was surprised to find out that he and Ivy shared many of the same usual interests: Quiditch, favorite sports teams, favorite foods and colors, and even their way of thinking might've been a bit the same. They spent a long time (actually they were so into talking that they'd accidently missed their next class) and Draco realized that she was hiding something. Something wasn't right. She wouldn't look him in the eye. And he could see it in her face, in the way she walked, that something was bothering her, causing her to always be so downcast. However, she seemed cheery and perfectly normal when with them. But maybe she was only this way with them. Why?

After their little meeting, Ivy agreed hang out with them the next day. But on the way to the library with Luna, Draco had spotted Ivy again. The smile that had appeared on her face when she'd been talking with them had disappeared entirely and she seemed to be back in that sulking mood. He hoped that it would soon go away. The gloominess was a bit contagious.

But it wasn't just the shock that Ivy could be pleasant to be around that was keeping Draco's mind unfocused as he looked through the library, it was the thing she'd said right before leaving them for the next class. Luna had said something about Ivy's parents being proud of her, saying that they must be if she was going to such a wonderful school like Hogwarts.

"They're not around" Ivy had said.

"Oh I'm sorry" Luna had replied a bit guiltily.

"It's okay…they were killed by a monster….and for once, I'm not the monster in question." And with that Ivy had gone. This was what was keeping Draco unfocused as he absent mindedly looked at the rows of books on the shelves of the library. What had she meant when she said 'I'm not the monster in question'? Was it because she saw herself as a monster? Maybe she had self images issues…but it was something more than that, something deeper. Draco could tell by the way she'd said it. He couldn't help that this was only cluing in to whatever secret she was hiding from him and Luna. He wanted to find out. Actually, he was determined to. A voice in his head told him to stay out of it, that some questions were better left unanswered, that this was personal stuff for Ivy. But he didn't listen.

"Oh I found it!" Luna exclaimed, running up to him holding a book in her hand.

"What? Oh yah, great."

XxXxxxXxxxXx

What was she doing? Was it butterbeer? Or maybe pumpkin juice…

Draco was watching Ivy from across the corridor. She was drinking something out of a canteen that she always had with her. He realized that she never drank during meals; in fact she hardly ever ate anything. He only ever saw her drink from her canteen. What was in there? He'd been watching her closely for the past three days. It wasn't the way he watched Luna though. When he watched Luna, he felt happy inside…almost like this throbbing, warm feeling inside of him. When he watched Ivy, he only felt curiosity sting at him. He'd seen her do peculiar things. She would look at people and lick her lips, she'd flinch if she ever got too close to a window during the day, and she seemed to never be tired. He'd run into her late after curfew and she didn't seem the least bit tired. He was very suspicious of her, especially after what she'd said during their first meeting. She was hiding something. However, despite all this, she was starting to become a friend.

Draco, Luna, and Ivy now were always together. He didn't consider Ivy a friend yet, but she was coming somewhat close at a fast pace. He found her relatable, easy to talk to. He got along well with her, as did Luna. She seemed to be carrying a heavy burden, as he was, and sometimes when she told them she wanted to be left alone, he understood why. He understood when sometimes everything seemed to be crashing down on you and you had to take a break and rest. And it seemed to him that being with Luna was an escape from the rest of the world for Ivy, just as it was for him.

Ivy and Luna, he soon discovered, were there for him. On several occasions, either one of them had spotted him looking at other people who were glaring at him. They'd seen his look of remorse and had comforted him. Luna often would touch his hand and speak to him in soft words. Ivy would take a different approach. She'd usually go up angrily to whoever had been glaring at Draco and tell them to back off and then make up some horrible threat. She was intimidating, that was for sure. So far, Draco had gotten over her appearance because she was so nice when with him and Luna, but when around other people she sometimes scared him.

However, somehow, at the same time, she was a comfort. They'd had multiple conversations together. He'd shared his feelings of shame, guilt, torment. Somehow, Ivy had been able to relate. She was able to comfort him, make him feel like he wasn't the only one who was going through this. He'd asked how she was able to relate, but she hadn't answered. Not that he'd expected her to. She had her secrets, and he had his. True, he hadn't told her that he'd been a Deatheater. He'd been too ashamed to. He hadn't even told her his last name yet. He felt a little guilty about hiding this from her, but decided that if one day she told him whatever she was hiding, he would tell her the truth about him. He was a little afraid that she would be appalled and never want to speak to him again if she learned of his past, but then again, if she could understand his feelings of guilt and shame then perhaps she wouldn't.

And then came the little thing that took Draco's mind off of Ivy. It happened on a Tuesday night. It wasn't anything special. He had been outside with Luna, sitting by the lake at the edge of the forest. Ivy had gone out and said she needed to refill her canteen (whatever was in there). Draco had found it strange that instead of going back to the castle she'd gone into the forest, but soon he was thinking of something else. Luna's head was resting on his shoulder. He suddenly felt warm inside, happy, but at the same time awkward and unable to think of what to do. He felt her breathing soften and saw that she'd fallen asleep. He didn't want to move. He realized he liked having her head on his shoulder, he liked it a lot. He felt his heart rate explode. And he stared at her hand. It was just lying there, calling to him. Did he dare? He did. Draco, ever so slowly that it seemed like an eternity, placed his hand over hers. He sighed. It was a good feeling, the touch of her skin.

They stayed that way for about twenty minutes before Ivy returned and Luna woke up. Luna hadn't noticed that Draco had been holding her hand. Instead she got up to stretch and didn't seem to realize what had just happened. Draco however, was in a stupor. He'd never really felt this way. The feeling inside of him was unfamiliar. He couldn't quite figure it out, but whatever it was, it was good. For the rest of that day, he only thought of Luna. Only Luna. Everything was Luna. Luna, who had given him his second chance. Luna, who'd touch made him smile. Luna….not Ivy, but Luna. Luna, whose smile gave him warmth that he had never found in any other place….Luna.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

He knew. Or at least he would soon. Should she tell him? No, no then she would lose both of them. But then again…no. That was the cost of friendship. You had to tell the truth in order to keep it stable. But this time, the truth might completely destroy it.

Ivy sat on the window sill of her dormitory. Draco suspected her. He knew she was hiding something from him. He never said it out loud, but she'd seen him watching her. She'd seen the way he looked at her…and the way he looked at Luna. Those two looks were different on so many levels.

If she told them what she was, they might leave her. She didn't want to be left alone, not anymore. They were her only friends, her only companions, the only reason that life didn't seem so bad. They were actually the only thing tying her down to the world, the only thing that kept her from trying to join her family. She couldn't lose them…but they were her friends, she had to tell them the truth….the truth. The truth hurt. The truth was ugly this time, monstrous even.

Surely Luna would understand. Luna didn't judge. That was why Luna was her best friend. But what about Draco? Luna had let it slip that Draco had once been…well, a git. He himself told her of his arrogance but said that he'd changed. She and Draco had had multiple private conversations about the past…well, mostly Draco's past. He didn't say what he'd done exactly, but only told her that he'd done horrible things and that the guilt still haunted him. Said he felt like a monster. She felt the same way. She was a monster. Draco didn't seem to be one, though maybe he had been in the past. The past…he wasn't very clear about his. Then again, neither was she. But she could tell that he was hiding something from her. She never really did understand why people glared at him. Maybe it was just because he'd been a bully in the past. But it was something else, she knew it. She didn't expect him to tell her though. He probably wouldn't unless she revealed her secret, which she knew he suspected her of keeping one from him.

She didn't want to lose Draco. Maybe after he found out, she'd be able to share her feelings with him and he'd understand, be able to comfort her. After all, he was going through the same thing wasn't he? And maybe if she told him, he'd tell her what he was hiding in his past. Maybe that was it…an exchange. Would he exchange his secrets for hers? They'd be able to relate better, that was for sure. Yes, that was it. Luna wouldn't judge either of them, and they'd all be able to know each other a little bit better. That was how friendship grew, right? Revealing secrets established trust. Yes, she trusted them. She'd tell them. Soon. Tomorrow in fact. Yes, tomorrow. No, not tomorrow…maybe later. Soon. Soon.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"A what?"

"Vampire." Ivy stared at her two friends. She'd just told them. Now what? How would they react? "Oh great, now you hate me" she moaned.

"Why would we do that?" Luna asked. Luna was still smiling? Luna was still smiling! Maybe that was just because Draco's hand was touching hers. He did that a lot now, but Luna never noticed. Ivy pretended not to notice so he wouldn't be embarrassed….

"But vampires are…they're evil. We're disgusting. Feed off of other's blood. We're even lower than werewolves."

"I know a werewolf. He used to be a teacher here. He was very nice, but he was still a werewolf. He was just a bit different. You're just a bit different. I'm a bit different, and so is Draco. I don't see why being a vampire is such a thing to be ashamed of. Being different has always seemed better to me anyway. And so what if you have a different taste of beverages?" Luna said. Ivy felt relief. Okay, so Luna didn't mind. But what about Draco? She looked at him.

"This doesn't change our friendship" he said, smiling. Ivy wanted to sing. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"I was afraid of what you would think of me." Ivy blushed.

"I know the feeling" Draco muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nevermind" Draco said quickly. "Anyway, how'd it happen?"

Ivy's face darkened. Hatred surged through her every time she spoke of it. But she had to tell them. She sighed. "It happened during the war. My parents were aurors, so obviously the Deatheaters were after them. My family and I moved around a lot, so we wouldn't get abducted by the Deatheaters. Then one day, they finally caught up to us…."

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay" Luna said.

"No…you guys need to know. I need to tell you everything. Anyway, it was night. I remember one moment being asleep, the next waking up to a big booming sound. I ran out of my room and saw them. They were wearing black robes, and they were masked. Before I could do anything, one of them grabbed me and we apparated. The next thing I knew, I was inside a big house. Looked really old and fancy. There were other Deatheaters in the room we were in. I saw my parents, and my little sister being held by other Deatheaters. I was scared, more scared than I'd ever been in my life. Then…he came. The one who did it, the one who killed them all." Ivy's voice was shaking with anger at this point. She was reminded of her loathing of this particular Deatheater. She hated him even more than the vampire who'd turned her. "He didn't say anything really. He just pointed his wand at my father first, and spoke the curse. There was a flash of green light. First my father, then my mother, and lastly my sister. And the worst part of all…he was smiling."

Ivy felt a tear fall from her eyes. "The rest is a blur really. I remember kicking and thrashing myself free from the grasp of the one who was holding me. I remember running through the halls, dodging curses from behind me. I remember jumping out a window and apparating in midair. And then I was in a forest. I was bleeding. I couldn't move. Everything was going dark. I wanted to die, to join my family. And then right before I blacked out, I felt teeth sink into my neck. And that's it."

There was silence as Ivy showed them for the first time her scars on her neck. "I'm a monster. I've felt like that every day since then. Some people say it's just my survivor's guilt but it's more than that. For a while, I wanted to be dead rather than live this cursed life but then…"

"But then what?" Luna asked.

"Then I met you guys. And I thought nobody would ever be able to see me as a person. You guys did. Luna, you never judged me, not once. Draco, you understood what it was like to feel guilt and shame, to feel horrible about yourself. I helped you feel better, I told you that you weren't a monster. And I know, now that you know about me, that you'd be willing to do the same for me."

Draco smiled. "You're right. And you know what, we'll always be friends, always. We're the rejects and we need to hang on to each other. And Ivy, I think there's something I've been keeping from you. Luna already knows. Like you, I was afraid to say anything because you might think awful of me but…you trust me and I trust you. You should know."

"Draco you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No I want to. You should know. You should know why I told you I felt guilty, ashamed, like a monster. There shouldn't be any secrets between friends" he said. Ivy sat for a moment, lost in thought.

"Then I should tell you guys one more thing. It's not important really, but I thought you guys should know this. I found out the name of the man who killed my family. It makes me fill up with hatred just thinking about his name but I'll say it out loud for you guys. You guys should know the cursed name that murdered my family. I want you guys to know."

"Who was it?"

Ivy took a deep breath, ready to say the name she hated most in the world. "Lucius Malfoy."


	3. Betrayal

**Chapter 3: Betrayal**

Had he told her? No. Not after she'd said that name, not after she'd said that she'd destroy anybody associated with that name. Not after she said that she loathed all Deatheaters, that they were all heartless monsters that deserved to rot. He'd seen the anger in her face when she'd spoken of this. If she ever found out that he'd been one of them…if she ever found out that it had been his father who'd killed her family, she'd hate him forever. So he'd lied to her, told her some phony story that he felt guilty because of this one kid he'd bullied. It was a pretty lame story but she'd bought it. He felt awful. Now he knew her secret, which didn't bother him at all, but now he was still keeping secrets from her. But she could never find out. Never.

He'd talked to Luna about it and she'd agreed that it was best that Ivy never find out who he was. This seemed too impossible really. Almost everyone in the school called him by his last name. She'd eventually find out. What would happen then?

Draco felt awful every time he spoke with Ivy, when she shared her feelings of anger and shame and he comforted her. If she knew who he was, she would not have been taking that comfort. Now it was he who couldn't look her in the eyes. Now it was he who was keeping secrets. Not because of what he thought she'd think of him, but because what he knew she'd think of him.

Two months passed and nothing happened. Miraculously, Ivy did not find out. She seemed happier than ever, knowing that he and Luna had truly accepted her for what she was and didn't care. And still, with each passing day, Draco's guilt grew deeper inside of him. How could he dare befriend the girl who'd family his father had murdered? It was awful, completely awful.

The only thing that kept him sane was Luna, strangely enough. Luna seemed completely unaware of the little things that were happening between them. He was becoming incredibly conscience of the way he looked at her, the way she spoke, the way her eyes sparkled. Everything about her was heavenly. Did she see him in the same way? He hoped so. Because he knew if one day Ivy ever found out about him, about this terrible betrayal of trust, he'd need Luna to be there for him because he knew Ivy now. As nice as she could be to them, there was anger in her. She defended her friends fiercely, one time she'd come close to biting another student who'd taunted him and Luna. Draco had never seen her fully angry and he didn't want to because he knew that would be an awful thing to see. If she ever found out, he'd be a dead man. Maybe Luna would be able to drive him to the hospital the day Ivy found out.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

What was that sound? Draco heard somebody around the corner. Crying?

It was the middle of the night, he wasn't even supposed to be out of bed, but he'd forgotten his school bag in a classroom and had snuck out to get it. But now he heard crying. Who was crying? He decided to find out.

He was met with a horrible sight. The first thing he saw was blood. Everywhere. On the floor, on the walls, everywhere. There was a body, lying on the floor, barely breathing. It too was covered in blood. Was it alive? Barely. Standing next to the body was the person who was crying. The person had blood covering her mouth. Ivy.

"No, Draco go away" she moaned. Draco ignored her comment and rushed up to her and hugged her tightly. She leaned her head on him and cried. She cried for a long time. She needed his arms around her, she needed support. He could feel her body shaking. "I couldn't help it…I couldn't take it. I was too thirsty…I didn't mean to" she whimpered.

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault" Draco whispered to her, trying to calm her down. He couldn't help but stare at the body though. He hoped it would still be breathing five minutes later.

"No it's not okay…I…I…I hurt someone this time. I knew it was…was a bad idea coming to this bloody school. I…I knew something like this would happen" Ivy sobbed. " I don't belong here. What if it had been you, or Luna?"

"Hey, look at me" Draco said, pulling her up and staring her in the eyes. "It's not your fault. It's in your nature, you can't help it. This doesn't define you Ivy. I know you. You wouldn't do this if you could help it" he said gently.

"But I'm a monster" Ivy said, barely audible.

"No…you're my friend." Draco pulled her into a hug again and let her weep. But one thing still hung in his mind. Ivy wasn't really the monster here, he was. If only she knew what he was hiding from her…he couldn't help but feel that he was the one who deserved to be lying on that floor, blood gushing from his neck. It should've been him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_Many Years Later_

There she was. She looked more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. The white dress that was covered in sparkling crystals was nothing compared to her sparkling eyes. That was Luna, his Luna. Walking towards him, down a rose petal covered aisle. Smiling. He felt that warmth again.

An eternity later, she reached him. He held her hands in his. Everything was perfect. He could see Ivy smiling at him from behind Luna, in her maid of honor dress. Ivy had been with them throughout the whole thing. She'd been there when the engagement happened, she'd even helped Draco when picking out the engagement ring. Throughout the entire process of planning the wedding, Ivy had been there. She was a great friend, a wonderful friend.

Draco looked back at Luna. The reverend's words sounded far away. When Draco said his 'I do's, they sounded far away. He only heard Luna's voice. Her voice was the only clear one. "Do you, Luna Lovegood take this man as your husband?" the reverend's distant voice asked.

"I do" said Luna's clear, dreamy voice answered. The reverend turned to Draco.

"And do you, Draco Malfoy take this woman as your bride?"

Before Draco could answer, he heard a choking sound behind Luna. Everyone turned their eyes on Ivy. There was something wrong with that picture, Draco realized. First of all, Ivy's face was now all wet. Tears. Her face was covered in tears, he realized. Secondly, she'd dropped the bouquet she'd been holding. Thirdly, the expression of her face was not one of joy, but one of anger, sadness….her eyes were livid. What was happening? Then Draco realized that Ivy had just heard his last name for the first time. After all those years of successfully trying to keep that secret, now it was out. No.

"Draco Malfoy." Ivy said those words with such loathing, such animosity. Draco hadn't even thought it was possible for someone to say a name so hatefully. Suddenly she was in front of him and she ripped off the left sleeve of his shirt to reveal his mark. She stared at it. He stared at it. Now she knew. He was speechless. What would he say? This was a nightmare. Everyone was silent.

"Ivy I'm sorry…I wanted to tell you but…I knew you would…Ivy I'm so sorry. Please…forgive me" Draco said. His words sounded so pathetic. Ivy was glaring at him. He'd betrayed her trust, their friendship. Worst of all, he was the son of the man who'd killed her family, who'd taken everything away from her, and to Ivy, being that son was just as bad as being the murderer.

"Ivy please, it wasn't his fault" Luna pleaded.

"You knew?" Ivy said, now glaring at Luna. Luna was silent. She shouldn't have said that.

Ivy said nothing. Her actions spoke louder than words. She jumped on Draco, knocking him onto the floor. The crowd gasped and Draco might've heard some screams. He, however, was too busy at staring at Ivy's long canines, ready to sink into his fragile neck. Her teeth came flying at him like daggers. He closed his eyes, ready for the pain her deserved. It never came. He opened his eyes. Ivy was on the floor several feet away from him. He saw Luna's wand pointing at her. He scrambled to his feet, took Luna's hand, and ran.

People all around him. Screams all around him. Total chaos. To his left, the town. To the right, a wooden fence made of wooden posts closing off the area to a private property. Where to go? Then pain. Pain. He dropped to the ground and saw Ivy's teeth sinking deep into his arm. So much blood loss. He felt dizzy. He saw Luna desperately trying to pry Ivy off of him, he saw her pleading with tears in her eyes. He'd never seen Luna cry like that, not once.

He screamed, or at least he thought he screamed. Ivy's teeth were no longer in him. He clutched his arm, trying to stop the blood from flowing like a river onto the sidewalk. He saw Ivy tackle Luna to the ground. "Get off of her!" he yelled and rammed into Ivy at top speed, knocking her off of his bride. He was only able to pin Ivy to the ground for a few seconds before she pushed him off of her. He stared at her skin, which was steaming because of the sunlight. Now she had the upper hand. He closed his eyes, ready for death. He deserved this. He was a traitor. But then he opened one eye and saw Luna, screaming. He couldn't hear her though. He couldn't hear anything except the sound of his heart pounding so loudly, like a drum. Luna. He couldn't leave her, not yet. With a cry of desperation he kicked Ivy off of him. He looked around for his wand and found it.

Ivy dodged his hexes and pulled out her own wand. Curses flying past him, barely missing him. Draco was fighting as hard as he'd ever fought before. And it pained him. Ivy was his friend. Every hex he sent at her he regretted, feeling a guilt he hadn't felt in a long time. But she was trying to kill him, and Luna. He had to protect Luna, he had to be there for his Luna. But he couldn't lose his friend either. But he didn't have time to think. He only fought harder, ignoring the pain in his arm.

He was gaining the upper hand, slowly. Ivy was walking backwards, trying to get out of range of his hexes. Slowly, he was forcing her back. Now she stood in the middle of the street. "YOU'RE A TRAITOR! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND" he heard Ivy scream at him.

"I am your friend Ivy. And I'm sorry. I was wrong to keep this from you. I should've told you the day you told me about what happened to your family. And you know what, yes, I was a Deatheater. But I'm not like my father. I promise you. And I promise, I won't keep anything from you again. You shouldn't trust me, you have every reason not to trust me. I know that. But please…you're always going to be my friend. Luna and I, we need you. You know we do."

Ivy only stared at him. He was expecting for a green flash to come his way soon, but it didn't. He heard Luna scream from behind him, screaming Ivy's name. It all happened in a flash, too fast for him to take in. Ivy looked into his eyes, tears in hers. And he saw her wand lower. She said his name, the hatred gone from her tone. "Draco…I-" and then everything was gone. And then she disappeared. The next thing Draco knew, her body was lying at least ten yards away to the right, lifeless, still, unmoving…broken. What had happened? He stared at the truck, which was slowly coming to a stop. The driver's face was horrified. He stared at the truck, then at Ivy. The truck. Ivy. Ivy's body…lying on top of the wooden fence…one of the wooden posts pierced through her chest. The truck. Ivy. The wooden post. IVY!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was supposed to be the best day of his life, the day Luna was finally his. Everything was wrong. He wasn't supposed to be in a hospital, lying next to a hospital bed where the broken body of his friend was lying. He wasn't supposed to be listening to the beeping sound of the machine that told him whether or not Ivy's heart was beating strong or not. The wooden steak had only brushed past her heart, not pierced it. However, when brushing past it had cut a deep gash in her heart. Nobody was sure whether or not Ivy would live to see the light of the moon in a few hours. The healers had tried everything. Nothing had worked. Now it was up to Ivy, who was fighting for her life. It depended on whether or not her heart was strong enough. Was she strong enough? Draco didn't know. Nobody knew.

He listened to the sound of the machine. _Beep. Beep. Beep._ It was at normal speed. Good. That was good. He touched Ivy's hand. Ice cold. He heard Luna weeping behind him. Nothing he'd tried to do had eased her pain. And nothing of course had eased his.

Draco watched ivy's chest move up and down slowly. So slowly. _Beep…beep…beep._ The beeps were getting slower. No. Maybe it was just his imagination. No, it wasn't. Her chest was barely moving now. He held her hand tighter in his. Now he'd never know what she had wanted to say to him, right before the truck had hit. She'd said his name and then it happened. What had she wanted to tell him?

_Beep…beep…..beep. _ "Draco?"

His name again. He stared at Ivy. And the words barely came out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

_Beep….beep…..beep…._

And she was gone.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_One Year Later_

Draco sat in front of the grave. It had been one year since Ivy's death. And he still felt the hole she had left behind. She'd been one of his closest friends. That at least, would never change.

Somebody sat next to him and touched his hand. Luna. His Luna. Who would always be there for him. The feel of her touch comforted him, as always. He looked at her. She smiled. There was that warmth inside of him again that he felt every time that she smiled. But he looked at the grave again and that warmth was a tad less warm than usual. There was a coldness. That could be fixed. Luna leaned in and kissed him. Now he felt heat.

At that moment he felt a wind blow through him. It was cold but there was a warmness in it. It filled him up, filled his spirit. It blew threw his hair and made him smile. The breeze blew three flowers from its tree. Draco watched the flowers fall gently, ever so gently, onto the grave. Three was a great number. He looked up at the sky. The breeze blew three times. "Hello Ivy."

XxXxXxXx

If you like true Druna stories (this wasn't a true Druna focused one), then read my true Druna stories such as "Draco and Luna: Moments", "Draco and Luna: Wedding Day", "Draco and Luna: Stars", "Draco and Luna: School Days', "What Happened in Malfoy Manor", and "Second Chance."


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